Locking device for gas regulator and control apparatus

Abstract

A locking device for use with a gas flow distribution device to be connected to a source of gas under pressure. The device has a yoke for securement to the source and a fastening screw threaded in the yoke for securing the device to the gas source. The locking screw has a tee-shaped handle. The locking device has a collar including a sleeve defining opposed openings for engagement of the yoke to permit longitudinal movement relative to the yoke but substantially prevents rotation of the sleeve relative to the yoke. The collar has a yoke-remote portion including a plurality of handle-engaging recesses. A spring biases the collar outwardly from the yoke into locking engagement with the handle for preventing unintended unfastening of the screw.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A locking device for use with a gas flow distribution device to be connected to a source of gas under pressure, the device having a yoke for securement to the source and a fastening screw threaded in the yoke for securing the device to the gas source, the locking screw having a handle portion, the locking device comprising a collar including a sleeve defining opposed openings for engagement of the yoke to permit longitudinal movement relative to the yoke but substantially preventing rotation of the sleeve relative to the yoke when the collar engages the handle portion, the collar having a yoke-remote portion including a plurality of handle-engaging recesses, and means resiliently biasing the collar outwardly from the yoke into locking engagement of the handle-engaging recesses with the handle portion for generating a ratcheting effect to reliably lock the handle portion within the handle-engaging recesses to ensure that the handle portion does not become loose either from vibration or misuse, and thereby preventing unintended unfastening of the screw from the gas source to prevent a hazardous leakage condition. 
     
     
       2. A locking device according to claim 1 wherein the collar includes a plate extending across and closing a yoke-remote end of the sleeve, the plate defining a central opening for receiving a shank of the fastening screw. 
     
     
       3. A locking device according to claim 2 wherein the biasing means comprises a coiled compression spring interposed between the last-said plate and the yoke, and concentric with the fastening screw shank. 
     
     
       4. A locking device according to claim 3 wherein the compression spring being conical in configuration and including a large diameter portion bearing against the lost-said plate and a small diameter portion bearing against the yoke for permitting rocking of the collar about the yoke. 
     
     
       5. A locking device according to claim 4 wherein said opposed openings being sized for permitting the collar to rotate relative to the yoke a few degrees but to prevent further rotation thereof. 
     
     
       6. A locking device according to claim 2 wherein the collar defines an annular crown flange around a yoke-remote upper periphery thereof, the crown flange being of toothed configuration to define between pairs of teeth thereof said handle-engaging recesses. 
     
     
       7. A locking device according to claim 6 wherein the teeth are symmetric. 
     
     
       8. A locking device according to claim 6 wherein the teeth are of ratchet-defining offset character for one-way ratcheting engagement of the handle portion. 
     
     
       9. A locking device according to claim 8 wherein each such tooth is provided on one side with a shoulder which is essentially linear through a region of a corresponding recess defined between each pair of teeth, each such recess being otherwise curvilinear. 
     
     
       10. A locking device according to claim 9 wherein the linear tooth portion defines a slope of approximately 30° relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the collar. 
     
     
       11. A locking device according to claim 2 wherein the handle portion is constituted by a tee-handle having a pair of oppositely disposed bar portions each of circular section. 
     
     
       12. A locking device according to claim 11 wherein the end plate having pairs of diametrically opposed grooves in an upper surface thereof extending radially with respect to the central opening for receiving the bar portions for locking engagement thereof. 
     
     
       13. A locking device according to claim 12 wherein the grooves are each of semicylindrical orientation and extend from the central opening to open through an outer periphery of the collar.